MLB Network’s Jon Morosi feels there is “at least a 50/50 chance” the Arizona Diamondbacks decide to trade Ketel Marte ahead of the 2026 MLB season.
“The Diamondbacks are actively listening on Ketel Marte,” Morosi said Tuesday on MLB Network. “Nothing is close, but multiple teams have checked in.”
Those teams include the Philadelphia Phillies and the Toronto Blue Jays, according to Morosi.
Marte is currently signed through 2030 with a player option for 2031. He also has a five-team no-trade list, per Spotrac.
Neither the Phillies nor the Blue Jays are listed on that no-trade list, according to Morosi, so the Diamondbacks could potentially complete a deal with either club regardless of Marte’s approval.
Marte does have a full no-trade clause that kicks in starting in mid-April, according to Spotrac.
The Blue Jays’ reported interest in Marte comes amid the possibility the franchise could be parting ways with Bo Bichette, who batted .311 during the 2025 season and .348 during the postseason before hitting free agency this winter.
Although Bichette’s defense has dipped—he recorded minus-12 defensive runs saved last season, good for the sixth-worst in MLB—ESPN’s Jeff Passan recently reported that “teams haven’t been scared off of Bichette at shortstop.”
Morosi also reported earlier this month that some teams were considering Bichette as an option at second or third base, further expanding the number of clubs who could be interested in bidding for his services this offseason.
Should Bichette walk in free agency, Morosi noted Tuesday that the Jays could play Andrés Giménez at shortstop while filling in for Bichette’s absence at second base with Marte.
“I’m not saying that the Jays have Marte as a greater priority than Bichette. But they are pursuing that in tandem as they think about different ways to fill out their lineup for 2026,” Morosi said.
The Phillies could potentially slot in Marte in place of Bryson Stott, who ranked in MLB’s 94th percentile with plus-8 outs above average last season but recorded a .257 batting average.
Marte earned his second consecutive Silver Slugger award while slashing .283/.376/.517 through 126 games with the D-Backs. FanGraphs rated his WAR at 10.9, the highest in MLB among second basemen.
MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert recently noted the D-Backs are likely to spend less on payroll in 2026 than the franchise did in 2025. That could limit the club’s ability to address their rotation needs in free agency this offseason.
If the Phillies or Blue Jays offer up pitching help as part of a return for Marte, however, the D-Backs could potentially consider whether shorting up what has been a postseason weakness for the club could be worth parting ways with one of the best switch hitters in MLB.